Chinese Businessman Charged After Attacking ‘End CCP’ Protest With Knife

(L) Photo of the attacker after the attack, (R) End CCP protest banner after an attacker slashed it with a knife in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 1, 2023. (Courtesy of Yang Fan)

An Auckland-based Chinese businessman has been charged after he intimidated and damaged an “End CCP” (Chinese Communist Party) protest display.

Chen Jiezhen attacked and sliced two banners with a knife on July 1 in New Zealand’s most populous city.

He also allegedly shouted “I will beat you to death” while threatening one protester with the knife still in hand.

The banners, which read “CCP’s coverup of Coronavirus brings disaster to the world” and “Eliminate the Demon Chinese Communist Party,” were held by three volunteers at Tamaki Road, Mission Bay in front of a Movenpick Ice Cream store.

The protest is regularly held to raise awareness about human rights issues under the CCP and its persecution of dissident groups like Falun Gong, a spiritual meditation practiced by millions of adherents across the country.

Mr. Chen posted video clips of the entire incident to Chinese social media from multiple angles and described his attack as a tribute to the founding day of the CCP. July 1 is the official founding anniversary of the CCP.

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One of the victims, Yang Fan, said he and his wife, who was also present, were concerned about future attacks.

“We are also concerned about our future safety as we have become targets. Videos of the attack have been widely circulated on Chinese social media, accompanied by messages of hatred,” he said in a statement.

The Global Quit CCP (Tuidang) Service Centre said they believed it was not an isolated incident but organised, because it was filmed and circulated online.

“Unlike other crimes, this incident is clearly intended to incite hatred and hostility towards the Falun Dafa community here in New Zealand,” the Global Quit CCP Centre said in a statement.

“The video material posted continues to be circulated in the public domain. This could clearly encourage others to engage in similar criminal acts towards Falun Dafa practitioners and other groups in this country.”

The Tuidang Movement, literally meaning “Quitting the [Chinese Communist] Party Movement” in Chinese, is the largest grassroots movement in history.

It started after the launch of the editorial series “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party,” first published in the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times on Nov. 19, 2004.

Tuidang is facilitated in China by an estimated 20 million volunteers, many of whom are Falun Gong practitioners. The movement encourages Chinese people to withdraw from party organisations including the Young Pioneers, the Communist Youth League, and the CCP itself.

Chen Expected to be Hailed a ‘Hero’

Mr. Chen faced court on Sept. 27 and was charged by police on counts of intentional damage, possession of a knife in a public place, and intimidation.

He was granted bail at home with conditions including no contact with the three victims or loitering around Falun Gong protests.

Mr. Chen set up a crowdfunding campaign to fund his legal fees, misrepresenting the events (claiming it was a civil case and not a criminal one), while also calling himself a victim.

He also claimed the Tuidang volunteers were “spreading false information” about the virus and its origins.

“I couldn’t stand idly by, so I rushed forward to confront them,” he said on his crowdfunding website.

Mr. Chen said he expected to be “hailed as a hero” for his aggression by pro-CCP supporters, and did not expect to be facing court.

Meanwhile, on the Chinese social media WeChat, he announced that people who donate to him will receive “free bathroom products” from his business such as $600 luxury toilets and toilet seats depending on the amount donated.

Attack Condemned by MPs

The New Zealand Values Alliance strongly condemned the attack.

“In New Zealand, a free and democratic country, people have the right to free speech and can protest against any political party, including the CCP. Those are fundamental human rights protected by the NZ Bill of Rights,” they said in a statement.

“We, as NZ Chinese, can love our homeland, but not necessarily the CCP. The assailant was either instructed by CCP agents or brainwashed by CCP propaganda.”

National MP Simon O’Connor also condemned Mr. Chen’s actions, saying the right to protest was a key democratic right in New Zealand that needs to be protected.

He noted that it was concerning that the man felt it was fine to film and publicise his actions.

“I was very pleased to stand in support of the protestors and use my social media to draw significant attention to the matter,” he said.

“As the co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, it is very important that those wishing to draw attention to the excesses of the CCP are allowed to do so.”

ACT Party MP Brooke van Velden said every member of the community deserves to feel safe.

“Every Kiwi, whether they have lived here for generations or have made their home here recently from China, should feel valued and safe and free to express their opinions in our country,” she said.

Sophia Lam contributed to this report.